Tulane University - Jambalaya Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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communication Process of Influence Professor examines the effects of communication on our society While Webster chooses to define com- munciation as the exchange of information or opinion, for Dr. Kathleen Turner, an Asso- ciate Professor in the Department of Com- munication, it means much more than that. Her intensive study of the role of communi- cation in our society has provided immense personal and professional satisfaction as well as a great learning atmosphere for her stu- dents. Dr. Turner, a native of Kansas, graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1974 with her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kansas and went on to Purdue University where she earned her Masters in Communciations and later her Doctorate of Philosophy in 1978. She has held various teaching positions at several institutions, including Denison University, the University of Notre Dame and the Uni- versity of Tulsa. Considering herself a rhetorical analyst. Dr. Turner explores the fields of mass media, politics, popular culture, and social move- ments. She specializes in the concept of communication as a process of social influ- ence. Communication is a central process for society. If there is no communication, you can ' t have a functional society, says Dr. Turner. Extending her interests and knowledge into research. Dr. Turner has published a book entitled Lyndon ' s Johnson ' s Dual War: Vietnam and the Press, which focuses on Johnson ' s relationship with the media and explains how his policies in the Vietnam or- deal affected his communication with both the media and the public. Three other works are in the publication process, as well. One such work deals with the history of the im- ages of women as portrayed in comic strips from 1896 to the present. It concentrated on female lead characters between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five years of age, usually single and fairly independent. Like much of popular culture, we don ' t seem to take the images portrayed very seriously, comments Dr. Turner. The other two works consist of a textbook entitled Rhetorical Analysis and one entitled Donahue Show, which emphasizes the idea of the program as a contemporary forum of discussion. Dr. Turner is currently teaching several courses, including Critical Analysis of Me- dia, Mass Communication Law, and Persua- sion. Her unique backgroun and extensive research offer an innovative and in depth view of communication, which is reflected in her classes. • — Mario A. de Castro 126 Communication

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astronomy Star Search Student star-gazers study the Cosmos One of the most relaxing, yet mystifying things to do is star-gazing. It is easy to lie back under a clear dark sky and get lost in the luminous glow above. Why are the stars there and what more is beyond are perhaps a couple of the questions that run through the mind. An interesting alternative to wondering is to take an astronomy course. A division of the physics department, astronomy is of- fered every semester. There is also a special summer course offered in Colorado. The students have the chance to get away from the restrictions of the big-city lights and get under a clear, open sky, stated Dr. Purring- ton, professor of astronomy. The 100-level course is a descriptive course dealing with stellar astronomy and the solar system. There are four sessions of- fered every semester along with an observ- ing lab. The observatory, located between the Business School and McAlister Audito- rium, was built when there was no other buildings in the area. However, as the cam- pus increased, the observatory lost a lot of its freedom to the sky ' s natural light. Compen- sation for the man-made restrictions is made by escaping across Lake Pontchartrain and holding Star Parties , where the students can gaze into an open sky. The department of astronmy also offers upper-level courses including a 200-level course which focuses on up-to-date discov- eries and a cosmology course. In addition, this spring brought the introduction of a new class called archio-astronomy, which is a combination of ancient astronomy and ar- chaeological sites of the new and old world. Astronomy has much to offer an individ- ual. For some it will fulfill that dreaded sci- ence requirement, yet for most, it will help in answering questions about the glistening world above. • — Stephanie Colen One can reach for the stars by using the telescopes in the Cunningham Observatory. D Lee S Msitfi aiSS SS Astronomy 125

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research on women Newco m b Wo men ' s Center The Newcomb College Center for Research on Women provides women with opportunities for intellectual and personal development. The Center is a strong link between students and alumnae of the College and women on and off campus through its program of curricular and co-curricular activities. The Center sponsors a number of research projects in its quest for further knowledge about women. These include a four-year longi- tudinal investigation of college women and men in conjunction with the Newcomb De- partment of Psychology and two projects to collect and preserve primary source materials by and about women in the Gulf South. The programs offered in Women ' s Studies enable one to obtain an undergraduate aca- demic minor and self-designed major. Besides two required courses, the major or minor can be created from a wide range of classes offered by the college. The main purpose of the Center is to encour- age and promote interdisciplinary research and curriculum development relating to women. The Women ' s Center is one of only three in the state of Louisiana. Over 5000 people are reached each year through lectures, confer- ences, publications and special e.xhibits. • — Stephanie Colen Beth Willinger. Sylvia Collins, and Duey White explain programs on women ' s studies. ,w.»ife ' r Research on Women 127